Saturday morning

It's dark and early, anyone up for a swim?

Iron heart

http://www.heartofironbook.com/

currently reading this, almost finish.
As i am only beginning my journey, i need as much motivation and training for both my physical body, and my mind.
This guy, Kyle Garlett, his stories are very motivational and inspirational. I enjoy reading it and i would recommend this book.
Again, I truthfully believe that if you want something bad enough, you can do it.
So don't complain and tell me you can't run a mile with your healthy body while somebody else had gone through cancer battles and heart transplant can do the Ironman!

2 miles, 1 mile, 800m, 400m, 200m...

wow wow wow... am I lazy or what, it's been almost a month since I last wrote. Yeah, I am pretty sure it's laziness, I can't really think of anything else.

Anyway... did the Seattle half marathon, was it a awful race or was it just me? It was so cold and it was wet, the fact that I felt that it's harder then a half ironman made me think that this Seattle half marathon was bad. I bet my shoes were like at least a pound heavier after the socks and shoes got all wet. In addition, I didn't make my slow goal of 2 hours =( Oh well, I knew that I wasn't well prepared, I was out of shape, and I was  like at least 10 lbs heavier than summer, what can I say. I just need to learn from this experience, and hopefully I will do better next time. I know I will do better next time. The bottom line is, I survived and finished.
Anyway, here's the gps data
<http://connect.garmin.com/activity/131973829>

I think, and I feel that I am actually starting my ironman training, finally. So this could be the first post that actually fit the title of my blog, road to ironman.
I decided to join the Cycle U tri team. oh man, i was going to join their indoor spinning class this sunday, but I showed up like 45 minutes late, i thought it was 9 instead of 8, I did their regular spin anyway.
Oh well, now that I know and there's no more excuses.

Besides spinning, I FINALLY am swimming again. Yes, finally! After like 3 months, I am back to the pool. I went to the greenlake pool yesterday morning for the master swim, i was shocked! There were like 30 people showed up at 5am in the morning for the master swim team, that's just ridiculous crazy. I don't know what to say, all I can say is those people are crazy.
by the way, here's their web site, but seems like they are down for now
swim.org/>

I am so so so out of swimming shape, after just couple laps my shoulder and hamstring were super sore, actually still sore right now, this very moment while I am typing all these. It was only like after 5 minutes of swimming and I started feeling it. Well, that was a good start and I am so proud of myself, pat on my back. I am gonna wake up early tomorrow again, and get back to the pool.

Last but not least, the title of this entry. 2 miles, 1 miles, 800m, 400m, and 200m. That was the track work out tonight at the Roosevelt High school. I feel way better than last time. It was probably due to my sickness last time. But yeah, I felt good after the run tonight, another good start.

These are the work out:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/133137447 (200m)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/133137445 (400m)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/133137442 (800m)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/133137440 (1 mile)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/133137439 (2 miles)

now, I need to get my butt to bed

good night everyone

Tuesday night

Another cold November night, another run.

http://cycleu.com/services/team/team_tri.html
This time, i joined the Cycle U multi-sports team with Track Workout at Roosevelt High School. Oh man, that was one tough work out! However, I survived, I had a good work out, and I get to meet with the coach and couple of the team members.


And surpringly, I was running at a good pace (for me), with one walking break, and recovery jog
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/127486202


That was a good start. I am committing myself to keep going every Tuesday night, hopefully.... no, there's no hopefully, I am gonna go every single Tuesday night!


I don't need to just survived, I need to get in shape, get faster and get stronger!


Next session is spinning class at Sandpoint Cycle U tomorrow night.

Run Run Run

After two weeks of laziness, I am back to Gasworks park yesterday and was getting ready for a run. After the groin injury, I was worried for a couple things before heading out for the run. 

• First, I haven't ran for 2 weeks. Usually, if I haven't done anything active for a extended period of time, my "performance" varies so much that I really don't know what to expect. It could be anything from a crippled run to a personal record. This is not the first time, so not a big deal, I just need to go run and see what happen.
• Second, weather has gotten so much colder just the last few days. I don't really mind the cold weather, but it's just kinna annoying cause you need to dress for it! You just need to think about what to wear, the extra hat, gloves, layers, etc. That means more work afterwards too, more clothes to wash, more clothes to fold. 
• Third, continue from the above point, weather has gotten so cold and I am starting to get sick! This is almost my main concern because getting sick is bad enough, and running in cold weather and being sick probably not the best combination. I was debating if I wanted to go run yesterday, and I ended up going anyway.
• Last, injury! It was the first time ever I have had a groin injury, so I don't know how long it takes to heal and how does it feel, etc. I felt ok before the run yesterday, but then I kinna felt ok two weeks ago too, and I didn't know that I really pulled a muscle until i started running. This was my main concern yesterday.

Anyway, I still went for a run with my friend, John. Once again, he's late! While waiting for him, i ran around in Gasworks a little bit and take some pictures in the sun. It was so nice yesterday and it was perfect for the run. The run ended up ok, i think I was running slower, but it's ok, I have so many excuses, haha... see above. The bottom line is I just need to get started again, from somewhere and get back to it slowly. The temperature didn't bother me too much neither, i had a fleece and only shorts, and I thought it was perfect temperature. It was a bit cold after the run though.

it's good to know that I can still run, lol.... looking forward to the next one.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/126329969

Finally, back on the bike.

Just like the title say, finally, I am back on the bike. I am back on the bike after my 2 months break. I don't even remember when was the last time I rode after Lake Stevens half, and it's more than 2 months ago.

Too bad I started too late, by the time I am around Woodinville, it's getting dark which was around 6  and i decided to turn around before it got too dark. It was very cold too, and some part on the trial were still pretty wet, dark, with leaves were everywhere. Man, it was pretty dangerous to ride over the leaves, last thing I want to happen is crash.

Anyway, I wouldn't say it's a great ride, but it's a good ride the fact that I get myself back on the bike despite the cold and wet weather. I was feeling very good and strong towards the end too, given the ride was only 14 miles. I look forward to more dry weather so I can ride more outside before it gets way too cold to ride.
GPS data:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/124159121

October total mileage:
Run: 30 miles + 3 miles track
Bike: 14 miles + 1 hour trainer
Swim: 0!!!!

Officially kicking off my training season

I am feeling so fat and lazy last week, i have only ran a total of 3 miles in 7 days!! I am blaming on the injury.

Surprisingly, groin injury is so painful =( I guess I didn't know nrcause I had never had one, or I guess never had something as serious. I am also blaming on aging, i am getting old.

anyway, yes, it was painful! had an appointment with the chiropractor, Kevin Rindal, on Friday. he did some ART on me, i think he also did some low dosage laser or something like that, I was in so much pain that I wasn't even paying attention to everything that was going on.  My left thigh was so sore Friday evening / Saturday evening, gotten a bit better the last two days, hopefully it will be back to normal asap.

by the way, Kevin is awesome, the fact that he's also a triathlete and he has done couple ironman make him awesome, yes, ironman are awesome.

Anyway, i wasn't able to run for the last couple days, but i got permission to bike. So, I had the trainer set up in my room and was ready for my first training session of the season last night. As usual, spinning at home is hard, it's so boring which makes it so hard. I was listening to Tiesto and that helped me to get through the hour. Overall, it's a good start.

Planning to do these more consistently, and hopefully i recover from the injury and able to start running again.

What's the point??

Something about triathlon...in those long periods of quiet suffering on a bike or on a run, you can find yourself, seek your purpose in life, help others in ways that would have, at one time, seemed impossible...and in those moments, you are immeasurably blessed.

That's the point!

Injury!!

Damn...! I'm slow, and I'm injured!
Probably pulled my right groin muscle from Saturday. Thought it was just soreness, and I was hoping that I can run slowly, get warmed up and loosen up. However, I was wrong! Sigh....
What do I do with pulled groin muscle? Anyone? Ice? Stretch? Rest? What else? The worst has happened, I hate hate hate getting hurt, and now it's happening!!!! Arrrrrrr

Road to the podium, Triathlon Training (GoPro)

Saw this at Youtube the other day and I can't resist but to share it.

After watching this video, it makes me want to get a GoPro camera myself and start documenting my own training! However, the title won't be Road to the podium, maybe something like "Road to cross the finish line" is more appropriate.

But oh man, they are not cheap at all, and again, it gets into the issue of stuffs that you need vs stuffs that you want. Just like everything else in life, there are tons of equpiments that you want for your Ironman training, but I probably have everything that I need.

Anyhow, has anyone used it? any comments? goods and bads? Anything will be helpful for me to make the decision on more toys.

Day off

Currently reading: you are an ironman

It's Monday and it's my day off. Not by design, but I'm forced to be inactive today because I'm so SORE!!!
Sore from the speed work on saturday, the fitness tests that morning (which included steps, push ups, sit ups, etc), and also the 6 miles run yesterday.
I'm probably fine from the long run, it's the sprints, sit ups and push ups that's kill me. That tell you how much I'm out of shape.
Therefore, instead of training physically, I'm training for the half marathon/ ironman mentally, and this is what I'm doing now.

Sunday run

It's one of those days that you can sleep until naturally wake up, how often can you do that?
After I was awake, I was laying on bed and debating if I wanna wake up, or try to fall asleep again. Given the dry weather this morning, I told myself I need to get my butt out there, either run or bike.
Finally, I ended up heading to lake union for a 6 miles run.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/120891531
It was such a beautiful morning for the run, it was a bit chilly, but not cold at all so perfect for running.
I was concerning my feet cause it was scratched up from yesterday run, surprisingly it was ok, not giving me any problem at all.

I have only about 6 weeks until the Seattle half marathon, running volume will increase, hopefully I can run faster and pray for no injury and sickness.

I been 'wanting' to start swimming, but obviously I haven't started. And I am thinking I may end up starting after the half marathon, I'll see.

Speed work out

My speed work out with john at the greenlake track, it's my first this season, actually, first time ever!
It's fun, late fall sunny day, very nice to be outside. But the work out need to cut short because the stupid shoes scratched my feet! Or maybe my feet that's stupid
Anyway, it's all good, work out was fun, weather was good, I'm happy, no complain.